High in protein, low in fat and rich in minerals, Ezo venison has been a hot topic among gourmets as a luxury ingredient in French cuisine due to its delicious meat quality, and is now gaining popularity as a food ingredient in ordinary households.

From May 29th to June 18th this year, Isetan Shinjuku will be offering a menu featuring Ezo venison for eat-in use on the basement kitchen stage. In addition, Ezo venison recipes by Chef Harumi Iwata of the same department will be sold at I's Meat Selection Fresh Market in the basement food section as Father's Day recipes. Doyo no deer is being proposed as a new taste adventure as a nutritious summer food. "The season for wild game, including Ezo deer, begins in October when hunting is allowed, so in the summer we use frozen loin cuts, but as it is a healthy ingredient, its popularity is increasing year by year. At our Shinjuku store, we have been stocking wild game condiments for about seven years, proposing enjoyable dining scenes. We have been proposing to provide high-quality ingredients and recipes so that foie gras and wild game become more familiar ingredients," says Chef Iwata. Recipe cards for Chef Iwata's French dishes, such as "Sautéed Ezo Venison with Chestnut Puree," are also available on the sales floor, and cooking lessons are available by reservation. "Demand for wild game meat is increasing year by year from customers who cook authentic dishes at home, and our purchases of Ezo deer have also grown by double digits compared to last year. We receive many inquiries by phone, and there is demand for wild boar during the season, with customers even coming from far away to visit us in search of wild game ingredients," said Toshiyuki Komiya, sales manager of the Fresh Market in the Food and Restaurant Sales Department at Isetan Shinjuku. Hunters have long known the deliciousness of summer deer fed on fresh green grass and new leaves, but the meat of Ezo deer caught during the prime wild game season from autumn to winter is odorless, easy to cook at home, and perfect for rare steaks. With health consciousness on the rise, it will be interesting to see whether Ezo deer will develop a new market as a new taste for the dinner table.